Episode 135. Marguerite's Report
"Noah."
Upon finding her, he threw his cigarette on the floor and stomped it out with his foot.
"Is it over?"
As he turned toward Olivia, a cool breeze blew.
“Yes, it’s finished. You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”
Noah just stared at her silently with his hands in his pockets.
The silence between them, the chill in the air, made her feel as if something was blocking the tip of her diaphragm.
Olivia recalled the moment she first met him. It felt as though the few months they had spent together had been completely erased from his memory.
'How was it? Did I do well?'
Once she successfully finishes the speech, she'll definitely have to ask Noah. Then he'll smile and say she did a good job.
She thought so.
Olivia could not bring herself to ask that in front of those green eyes that seemed devoid of even a shred of affection.
The few months spent with him might have meant nothing to him, but they were not to Olivia.
Olivia forced a smile as she composed her expression.
“Why are you doing this in the cold?”
“I don’t like the camera light. Let’s go if you’re done.”
“Ah! His Majesty the King and the Queen are still...”
“They’ll figure out how to get to the royal palace on their own. I was waiting for you.”
“...”
Olivia was shaken again by his single remark.
He makes you not even dare to ask if you did well, and then makes you hope again. And Olivia, who loves him, wanted to somehow lean on that small hope.
“Hey, Noah.”
“...?”
“...Um, today...”
It was when Olivia was biting her lip and was about to open her mouth with difficulty.
"So you were both here!"
Turning toward the direction of the sound, she saw the King and Queen approaching her. As Olivia quickly knelt to bow, Leonard, who had come close, spoke immediately.
"You worked very hard today, Olivia."
Leonard, who detests introductions, did a terrible job.
"I was very surprised, too. I was deeply impressed."
When Beatrix chimed in, Olivia blushed and tilted her head.
"You are too kind."
"It is no exaggeration."
Leonard shook his head firmly.
Olivia’s congratulatory message will spread nationwide through newspapers and represent the purpose of the Royal School. That alone would be satisfactory, but she also ensured that Harold Beam would never again speak of the facility.
“You deserved my praise today. Is there anything you wish for? I will grant you just one thing.”
Olivia, who was about to reflexively answer no, paused for a moment and looked at Leonard.
“Anything, Your Majesty?”
Leonard chuckled and nodded.
"Should the King's honor be nothing more than words?"
"Then..."
Olivia glanced at Beatrix and spoke cautiously.
"Princess Lucy's forehead has healed. So, would you please allow her to go to school starting tomorrow?"
Leonard remained silent for a moment at her words and stared intently at Olivia. As he had expected, Olivia must have wanted to bring up Lucy's matter from the beginning.
Leonard had actually intended not to seek anyone's opinion regarding Lucy's return to school. However, the story of a ten-year-old girl just like Lucy happened to sway the heart of the King, who was usually cold to everyone.
"Since classes started at nine in the morning, I left home with my grandmother at six every day. And when classes ended, we would return home together, with my grandmother having waited for me outside the school all day. By the time we arrived home, it was always pitch dark."
Leonard frowned slightly and asked deliberately, curtly.
"Everything Lucy needs is at the royal palace. What is she lacking that she must risk going to school?"
Then, his son came out as if he had been waiting.
"If you were going to say that, you shouldn't have said you would grant anything."
Leonard glared at his son's irritable face with a look of displeasure.
It's not like he's a lion brooding over his cubs. He throws a fit whenever anyone touches Olivia.
“Noah, observe proper etiquette. But Your Majesty, isn’t there some truth to what Noah says?”
Beatrix looked at Olivia while gently mediating.
“Olivia, tell me. Do you really think everything Lucy needs is inside the palace?”
Olivia, who had been holding onto Noah's arm in embarrassment, remained silent for a moment, choosing her words in response to the Queen's question.
After gathering her thoughts, she let go of Noah's arm, composed herself, and spoke to Leonard politely but firmly.
“Your Majesty, what the Princess needs are not things that can be seen, but things that cannot. Therefore, how can you guarantee that they are all within the palace?”
Who would dare speak to the King about the Princess's affairs to this extent?
Olivia was like a soft knife. She carefully pierced the hearts of the sensitive and arrogant royalty and lightly prodded them.
Leonard twitched his lips, then eventually let out a chuckle.
“Right. I understand what you mean.”
"Then..."
“I have to keep my promise. I’ll send Lucy back to school, just as you said.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Olivia’s lips curled up. The face of a girl jumping for joy flashed through her mind.
"Thank you!!"
“It’s a good thing for Lucy, is it a good thing for you? You rascal, you should mind your own business.”
As Leonard turned away first after glancing at Olivia with a look of incomprehension, Beatrix put her arms around Olivia's shoulders and whispered in her ear.
“Thank you, Olivia. Thank you.”
"No, Mother."
She affectionately patted her son's shoulder, who was beside her, then followed the King away.
Olivia and a few others met each other's gazes as they watched the King and Queen walk away.
Quite a few people could not bring themselves to approach and were watching them from a distance.
Just then, Noah's low voice drifted into Olivia's ears.
"Shall we go to Hamuel now?"
When she lifted her head, Noah was looking down at her.
"Now?"
“...”
Noah was silent for a moment, then took her hand and started walking. Olivia looked at the large hand wrapped around hers and asked.
"Um, did I do well today?"
"Father just praised you, didn't he?"
"Still, I wanted to hear it from you."
“...”
Noah was silent for a moment, then turned to look at her and smiled faintly.
"You did a great job."
It was a smile like the pale, faint sunlight of midwinter. But since it was a smile she hadn't seen in a long time, even that was precious to Olivia.
Olivia stepped close to his side. And she mustered the courage to whisper.
"I like it when you say that."
"It’s not exactly a new thing to say."
"Even so."
Just then, a flash of light pierced through the faint winter sunlight behind them.
Noah paused, released his grip, and hugged Olivia tightly by the shoulders. He hugged her so tightly that her body, pulled by the force, was almost completely hidden by Noah's body.
She felt impatience rather than consideration or warmth in his touch. Her shoulder ached from being held.
“Noah?”
Startled, Olivia called out to him, but Noah walked even faster without even answering.
Even in the midst of that, a flash went off behind them.
Bang, bang!
Bang, bang, bang!
Marguerite was looking at a thin report.
It was the result of an investigation ordered by Marguerite, who was puzzled that Olivia had been fired even from her position as a librarian in the past.
"I apologize for the late report."
The man who submitted the report to her bowed deeply. It took nearly two years to submit the report.
However, Marguerite did not rebuke him. It was a task that was bound to take a long time.
With every page she turned, the corners of her eyes trembled slightly and grew redder. Finally, after checking the last page, she pressed her eyes shut tightly and slowly gasped for breath.
Olivia's despair was infused into this thin report. That is why it was sad.
She silently gestured for the man to leave, then opened her eyes and stared blankly down at the report.
After doing that for quite a while, he spoke to Olivia, who wouldn't be able to hear him.
“Olivia, actually, I was upset when you... said you would become Noah’s wife.”
With what mindset have you been walking around the campus until now?
Is that truly your dream?
Marguerite wanted to see Olivia fulfill her dreams. However, she could not bring herself to say such things to Olivia, who was in a daze after suffering a terrible ordeal at the hands of Adam McDowell.
How could you... to Olivia, who was crying and saying she didn't want to hold out any longer either.
However, Adam McDowell's crazy antics were only a very small part of what was revealed on the surface.
“I... was still just a naive Princess inside the palace.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks, making a path.
“Olivia, pain is the driving force for growth. Your current pain is a stepping stone for great success, so embrace it.”
"The important thing is your will."
What kind of expression did Olivia make when she said that?
Marguerite's lips trembled. It felt as if someone had set her heart on fire.
"How heartless you must have been for saying such things."
Marguerite crumbled before the thin report.
The report slowly crumpled between her fingers.
"Noah."
Upon finding her, he threw his cigarette on the floor and stomped it out with his foot.
"Is it over?"
As he turned toward Olivia, a cool breeze blew.
“Yes, it’s finished. You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”
Noah just stared at her silently with his hands in his pockets.
The silence between them, the chill in the air, made her feel as if something was blocking the tip of her diaphragm.
Olivia recalled the moment she first met him. It felt as though the few months they had spent together had been completely erased from his memory.
'How was it? Did I do well?'
Once she successfully finishes the speech, she'll definitely have to ask Noah. Then he'll smile and say she did a good job.
She thought so.
Olivia could not bring herself to ask that in front of those green eyes that seemed devoid of even a shred of affection.
The few months spent with him might have meant nothing to him, but they were not to Olivia.
Olivia forced a smile as she composed her expression.
“Why are you doing this in the cold?”
“I don’t like the camera light. Let’s go if you’re done.”
“Ah! His Majesty the King and the Queen are still...”
“They’ll figure out how to get to the royal palace on their own. I was waiting for you.”
“...”
Olivia was shaken again by his single remark.
He makes you not even dare to ask if you did well, and then makes you hope again. And Olivia, who loves him, wanted to somehow lean on that small hope.
“Hey, Noah.”
“...?”
“...Um, today...”
It was when Olivia was biting her lip and was about to open her mouth with difficulty.
"So you were both here!"
Turning toward the direction of the sound, she saw the King and Queen approaching her. As Olivia quickly knelt to bow, Leonard, who had come close, spoke immediately.
"You worked very hard today, Olivia."
Leonard, who detests introductions, did a terrible job.
"I was very surprised, too. I was deeply impressed."
When Beatrix chimed in, Olivia blushed and tilted her head.
"You are too kind."
"It is no exaggeration."
Leonard shook his head firmly.
Olivia’s congratulatory message will spread nationwide through newspapers and represent the purpose of the Royal School. That alone would be satisfactory, but she also ensured that Harold Beam would never again speak of the facility.
“You deserved my praise today. Is there anything you wish for? I will grant you just one thing.”
Olivia, who was about to reflexively answer no, paused for a moment and looked at Leonard.
“Anything, Your Majesty?”
Leonard chuckled and nodded.
"Should the King's honor be nothing more than words?"
"Then..."
Olivia glanced at Beatrix and spoke cautiously.
"Princess Lucy's forehead has healed. So, would you please allow her to go to school starting tomorrow?"
Leonard remained silent for a moment at her words and stared intently at Olivia. As he had expected, Olivia must have wanted to bring up Lucy's matter from the beginning.
Leonard had actually intended not to seek anyone's opinion regarding Lucy's return to school. However, the story of a ten-year-old girl just like Lucy happened to sway the heart of the King, who was usually cold to everyone.
"Since classes started at nine in the morning, I left home with my grandmother at six every day. And when classes ended, we would return home together, with my grandmother having waited for me outside the school all day. By the time we arrived home, it was always pitch dark."
Leonard frowned slightly and asked deliberately, curtly.
"Everything Lucy needs is at the royal palace. What is she lacking that she must risk going to school?"
Then, his son came out as if he had been waiting.
"If you were going to say that, you shouldn't have said you would grant anything."
Leonard glared at his son's irritable face with a look of displeasure.
It's not like he's a lion brooding over his cubs. He throws a fit whenever anyone touches Olivia.
“Noah, observe proper etiquette. But Your Majesty, isn’t there some truth to what Noah says?”
Beatrix looked at Olivia while gently mediating.
“Olivia, tell me. Do you really think everything Lucy needs is inside the palace?”
Olivia, who had been holding onto Noah's arm in embarrassment, remained silent for a moment, choosing her words in response to the Queen's question.
After gathering her thoughts, she let go of Noah's arm, composed herself, and spoke to Leonard politely but firmly.
“Your Majesty, what the Princess needs are not things that can be seen, but things that cannot. Therefore, how can you guarantee that they are all within the palace?”
Who would dare speak to the King about the Princess's affairs to this extent?
Olivia was like a soft knife. She carefully pierced the hearts of the sensitive and arrogant royalty and lightly prodded them.
Leonard twitched his lips, then eventually let out a chuckle.
“Right. I understand what you mean.”
"Then..."
“I have to keep my promise. I’ll send Lucy back to school, just as you said.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Olivia’s lips curled up. The face of a girl jumping for joy flashed through her mind.
"Thank you!!"
“It’s a good thing for Lucy, is it a good thing for you? You rascal, you should mind your own business.”
As Leonard turned away first after glancing at Olivia with a look of incomprehension, Beatrix put her arms around Olivia's shoulders and whispered in her ear.
“Thank you, Olivia. Thank you.”
"No, Mother."
She affectionately patted her son's shoulder, who was beside her, then followed the King away.
Olivia and a few others met each other's gazes as they watched the King and Queen walk away.
Quite a few people could not bring themselves to approach and were watching them from a distance.
Just then, Noah's low voice drifted into Olivia's ears.
"Shall we go to Hamuel now?"
When she lifted her head, Noah was looking down at her.
"Now?"
“...”
Noah was silent for a moment, then took her hand and started walking. Olivia looked at the large hand wrapped around hers and asked.
"Um, did I do well today?"
"Father just praised you, didn't he?"
"Still, I wanted to hear it from you."
“...”
Noah was silent for a moment, then turned to look at her and smiled faintly.
"You did a great job."
It was a smile like the pale, faint sunlight of midwinter. But since it was a smile she hadn't seen in a long time, even that was precious to Olivia.
Olivia stepped close to his side. And she mustered the courage to whisper.
"I like it when you say that."
"It’s not exactly a new thing to say."
"Even so."
Just then, a flash of light pierced through the faint winter sunlight behind them.
Noah paused, released his grip, and hugged Olivia tightly by the shoulders. He hugged her so tightly that her body, pulled by the force, was almost completely hidden by Noah's body.
She felt impatience rather than consideration or warmth in his touch. Her shoulder ached from being held.
“Noah?”
Startled, Olivia called out to him, but Noah walked even faster without even answering.
Even in the midst of that, a flash went off behind them.
Bang, bang!
Bang, bang, bang!
***
Marguerite was looking at a thin report.
It was the result of an investigation ordered by Marguerite, who was puzzled that Olivia had been fired even from her position as a librarian in the past.
"I apologize for the late report."
The man who submitted the report to her bowed deeply. It took nearly two years to submit the report.
However, Marguerite did not rebuke him. It was a task that was bound to take a long time.
With every page she turned, the corners of her eyes trembled slightly and grew redder. Finally, after checking the last page, she pressed her eyes shut tightly and slowly gasped for breath.
Olivia's despair was infused into this thin report. That is why it was sad.
She silently gestured for the man to leave, then opened her eyes and stared blankly down at the report.
After doing that for quite a while, he spoke to Olivia, who wouldn't be able to hear him.
“Olivia, actually, I was upset when you... said you would become Noah’s wife.”
With what mindset have you been walking around the campus until now?
Is that truly your dream?
Marguerite wanted to see Olivia fulfill her dreams. However, she could not bring herself to say such things to Olivia, who was in a daze after suffering a terrible ordeal at the hands of Adam McDowell.
How could you... to Olivia, who was crying and saying she didn't want to hold out any longer either.
However, Adam McDowell's crazy antics were only a very small part of what was revealed on the surface.
“I... was still just a naive Princess inside the palace.”
Tears flowed down her cheeks, making a path.
“Olivia, pain is the driving force for growth. Your current pain is a stepping stone for great success, so embrace it.”
"The important thing is your will."
What kind of expression did Olivia make when she said that?
Marguerite's lips trembled. It felt as if someone had set her heart on fire.
"How heartless you must have been for saying such things."
Marguerite crumbled before the thin report.
“Ansen. You... you damn bastard...”
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